
Dr Andrea Diambra
BSc, MSc(Marche), PhD(Bristol)
Current positions
Associate Professor of Geotechnical Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
Contact
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Research interests
Dr Andrea Diambra is a Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering at University of Bristol. His research interests span across a wide range of geotechnical problems, with particular focus on two main areas: 1) new geotechnical solutions for offshore energy systems and 2) development of novel ground improvements techniques. His research uses an approach across the length scales involving a range of techniques from experimental element testing, constitutive modelling, numerical analyses and full-scale testing.
Recent and current research projects include:
1) Offshore geotechnics
- Development of new macro-element models for plate anchoring systems;
- Full-scale axial and lateral testing of driven steel piles in chalk;
- Polypropylene pipe – seabed interaction;
- Review of available methods for spudcan penetration assessment;
- Development of constitutive modelling for cyclic behaviour of granular soils;
- Evolution of stiffness of granular soils under very large number of multiaxial loading cycles using the Hollow Cylinder Torsional apparatus;
- Stress and time dependent behaviour of remoulded chalk.
2) Ground improvements
- Experimental and numerical studies of fibre reinforced soils;
- Experimental and numerical modelling of artificially cemented soils;
- Extension of modelling techniques for fibre reinforced soils to root-soil systems;
Dr Diambra has extensive teaching experience at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. He is willing to supervise new postgraduate students to work in the above mentioned and/or related topics.
Recent awards:
- Best paper in Géotechnique Letters Volume 5, Q2 (February) 2015: Chow S.H., O’Loughlin C.D., Corti R., Gaudin C. & Diambra A. 2015 “Drained cyclic capacity of plate anchors in dense sand: Experimental and Theoretical Observations”, Géotechnique Letters, 5, 80-85. DOI: 10.1680/geolett.15.00019
- Best paper in Géotechnique LettersVolume 4, Q3 (June-September) 2014: Diambra A., Ciavaglia F., Harman A., Dimelow C., Carey J., Nash D. 2014 “Performance of cyclic cone penetration tests in chalk”, Géotechnique Letters, 4, 230-237. DOI: 10.1680/geolett.14.00050.
- EPSRC research grant 2012: "Anisotropy of fibre reinforced sands under generalised loading conditions"(http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/J010022/1).
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
ROBOCONE: intelligent robotic geotechnical characterisation for next generation site investigation and design
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Department of Civil EngineeringDates
01/01/2022 to 31/12/2024
Anisotropic behaviour of fibre reinforced soils
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Department of Civil EngineeringDates
17/09/2012 to 17/11/2013
Thesis supervisions
Macro-element modelling of plate anchors for floating offshore structures accounting for capacity changes during operational conditions
Supervisors
Interface shear response of polypropylene pipe coatings and influencing pipe buckling using enhanced textures
Supervisors
Change in elastic properties of sands under very large number of low amplitude multiaxial cyclic loading
Supervisors
Stability and Serviceability Driven Design for Excavations in Clays
Supervisors
Publications
Recent publications
19/01/20213D FE-informed laboratory soil testing for the design of offshore wind turbine monopiles
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
A cyclic macro-element framework for consolidation-dependent three-dimensional capacity of plate anchors
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
A non-associative macro-element model for vertical plate anchors in clay
Canadian Geotechnical Journal
Relationship between texture of polypropylene coatings and interface friction for sand at low stress levels
Canadian Geotechnical Journal
Using coating roughness to control pipe-soil friction and influence pipeline global buckling behaviour
Thesis
Fibre reinforced sands : Experiments and constitutive modelling
Supervisors
Award date
01/01/2010